A few thoughts from this AP report on the selection of Jimmy Carter for the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize. First of all, AP notes the last U.S. president to win: "Woodrow Wilson received it in 1919 for his role in establishing the League of Nations. . . " That pretty much speaks for itself, doesn't it?

It is also noted that "Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger shared the 1973 award with Le Duc Tho of then-North Vietnam, who declined it." At least Le Duc Tho, unlike Yasser Arafat, had the decency not to accept a prize for a peace treaty he had no intention of honoring. Like Wilson, Kissinger was honored for a most un-lasting peace; the cease-fire in Vietnam lasted less than two years, and was ultimately doomed by the failure of America to credibly back up the implicit threat (implicit in any peace treaty) to use force if the treaty was violated.

Finally, I enjoyed the comments by Afghan President Hamid Karzai; the report notes that "Karzai, one of this year's nominees, had called a press conference in Kabul in advance of the announcement, but ended up congratulating Carter. 'He deserved it better than I, and he won it, and I'll try for next year,' he said at his presidential palace in Kabul."

It will be progress for world peace if Karzai is still around when they award the prize next year. I wish him luck.